Knitting-machine.



N0- 827,367. PATENTED JULY 31, 1906. J. D. HEMPHILL.

KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLIO ATIDN FILED JUNBSD, 1905.

2 SHEETSfiEBET I.

1E1 130 71 we: Y

PATENTED JULY 3l, 1906.

l J. D. HBMPHILL.

KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FIL ED JUNE30, 1995* gamma-sum 2.

rnfl mm:

. knittin UNITED s'rsrns PATENT OFFICE.

JOSHUA D. HEMIHILL. OB PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO MAYO KNITTING MAOHiNE AND NEEDLE COMPANY. OF FRANKLIN FALLS, NEW HAMPSHIRE. A CORPORATION OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.

KNITTlNG'MAOHlNE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July e1, 1900.

' Application filed Jane 80, 1805. Serial Ho. 287,818.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Joanna D. Hnupmnp, a citizen of the United States, residing m Pawtucket, count of Providence, and State of Rhode Island, ave invented an Im rovement in Knitting-Machines, of which t e fol lowing deseri tion, in connection with the 'accompanying awings, is aspecification like figures on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention is embodied in almittingmachine of the kind commonly em loyed m knitting hosiery, and relates espeoia y to appliances for facilitating the operations invoived in transferring a cuff of ribbed material to the needles WhlOh operate to make the plain-knit portion of thehosiery.

For convenience of illustration the invention is shown up lied to a machine substantially such as is s own in my prior lpatent, No 629,503, dated July 25, 1899, alt Ollgll, Obviously, the essential features of the 1nvention are applicable to other machines of similar character by the proper modifications in details of the construction of the appliances to cause them to cooperate properl with the mechanism of the machines to whic thefilgre applied. I

machine shown in :11 former patent is of the kind known as a ful -automatic machine, in which the narrowing and widening is performed at the heel and toe by changing from round-and-round to reciprocatinig knitting, and throwi a series of need as out of operation simu taneously, and thereafter throwing additional needles out of o oration one at a time for the narrowing, an retuming the said needles into operation in the widening, and thereafter brin ing the entire set of needles into operation or the circular knitting.

The requisite changes in operation of the instruments ties are produced by control leg-cams on a change cam-shaft, which is advanced intermittently at the proper times and by suitable mechanism controls the driving mechanism and needle-- operating instrumentalitlcs in the machine, e acting the changes in movement of the knitting-cams from circular to reciprocating and the reverse at the proper times and also the changes in the knitting-cams and special needle-operating devices concemcd in the narrowing and widening o erations at the proper times and co. e machine to be automatically stopped or disconnected from the chi power when a stocking is completed. c operator therefore has only to apply a ribbed cufi to the needles and to start t e machine, after which it will run without further attention until another stocking is completed.

As set forth in my former atent, the o eration of transferring a ribl i ed cufi to t e circular machine involves certain preparatory operations, which in the machine of my former patent include the rotation of the main shaft and cam-c linder by hand after the machine is stop or disconnected from the drivi war. These 0 tions also include the ing of the late ard ring and yarn guide or guides connect therewith, so that the yarn will not be presented to the needle-hooks, after which the operator turns the cam-c linder at least once around, which runs off t 0 previouslyknit stocking, the yarn having been broken between the stockmg and yarn do either before or after the work is run 0 from the needles. The camcylinder is then properly turned by the operator to bring all of the needles to a common level to receive the transfer-ring, which is then applied and the cufi transferred therefrom to the needles, after which the latchguard ring and yarn do are placed back in normal osition an the machine started. In machines of this class the relation of the needlceylinder to the knitting cams or surfaces controlling the needle-butts is such that when the need es are leveled b the proper operation of the cams their en stand at a considerable hei ht above the top of the needie-cylinder, an by reason of the flexibility of the needle-shanks the ends of the needles when thus elevated are commonly not spaced 5 requires operators of considerable skill to attend the machines. These objections have heretofore been partiall obviated by pr0- viding machines of this c ass with a device by which the needle-cylinder may be raised by a hand operation while the machine is not running and after the needle-butts have been disenga ed from the draw down or stitch cams w neh operate the needles in knitting and also by providing hand-o )erated means whereby the needles may be epressed substantially to the level of the top of the cylinder after the latterhas been raised.

e present invention consists, mainly, in mechanism operated as apart of thegnachine by merely turning the main or power-driven shaft to raise the necdlecylindcr after the stocking has been completed and before the needles are leve ed to receive the transferring and also to cam from the needle-butts when the cylinder is thus raised, so that the needle-butts may thereafter he leveledby the action of the cams'at the usual osition relative to the cams; but with their hooked ends approximately at the level of the top of the now abnormally elevated needle-cylinder. The hooked ends ofthe needles are thus uniformly s aced by the eflect of the grooves of the nee le-cvlinder and lie between the 'usual web-holders, the result being that the transferring when applied will have its qluills registered accurately with the needles, t 1c points of the uills enterin between the web-holders or smkers," as t 10 are. somT times called, with each quill ern )racing the hook end of the needle lying between the two adjacent web-holders.

The mechanism forming the subject of the presentinvention .also eom rises means for supporting the needle-cylin er in its elevated position after the machine has stopped running, 'which supporting means are adapted to be manipulated by the operator to lower the needle-cylinder to normal working position after the transfer-ring has been applied so that the n achine may be started on the knitting of the next stocking directly after the ribbed cell has been transferred to the needles. I

Figure l is aside elevation of-a sullicient portion of a knittinganachine to illustrate the application of the present invention thereto, the.needle-eylinder being shown in the clcvat d position resulting from the action of the ppliances forming the subject of the present'inverition. .Fig. 2 is a plan view of a suilicient portion oi" the machine to illustrate the present invention, parts being broken away to show parts located below. Fig. 3 i.- a side elevation of the upper part of the nee ile-eylinder and the eam-carrier and appurtenances thereto involved in the present invention. Fig. 4 is a sectional ilan showing the knitting-car disengaged i rom .shown in connection'with disengage the draw-downthe needle-butts to admit of the elevation of the needle-cylinder without drawing'and retnining a portion of the needles below the desired level. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail on line :1 of Fig. 2, and Figs. 6 and 7 are details illustrating the operation of applying the quills of the transfer-ring to the needles in the raised needle-cylinder.

' For an understanding of a ting-machine to which the improvements forming the subject of the present invention are applicable, reference may be had to my prior patent, No. 629,503, dated July 25, 1899, the parts of which necessary for an understanding of the present invention are the appliances forming the subject of the present invention and are marked with the same reference'ch'araeters as employed in said Patent No. 629,503.

he main instrumentalities of the knitting complete knit- 'maehine to which the present invention may be ap lied ma Y be such as commonly emloyer in circular-knitting machines for knitting hosiery and in the example here shown comprise a needle-cylinder 72 and a knitting-cam carrier 70, which is provided with suitable cams for acting upon the butts 73 of the needles 71, lriven with a continuous round-and-ro .nd n ovenlent or with a reciprocating- :190 eme t \vhen'required by gearing front a powe -dri ven shaft, one of the gear-wheels of whirlilij'is shown at 8, Fig. 1.

0 changes it: the knitting operation required If the roduction of a stocking are rodut' bv cams upon a cam-shaft 30, hercmafter called the change" cam-shaft, which is advanced from time to time as the knitting pioceeds and when the heel of the stocking is cached shifts the gearing so that the cam-carrier is reei )rocatcd and at the same time controls the knitting-cams so that a proximately t irownout of operation and additional nee (lies are thrown ciprorating knitting proceeds, after which it further change produced by one of the cams 173 on the cam-wheel 17!, carried by the shaft 30, causes additional .ncedles to be thrown into opera! ion one at a time in widening, after which a further change is made by an ad vane-e movementol' the cam-shaft 30, by which the parts are brought into condition to proceed with the round-andround knitting for' the tubular foot of the stocking, and when the too is reached a similar series ol'opcratiohs is performed to those performed at the heel, and when round-and-round knitting has been rcsunu-d for a few courses the stocking is completed.

in the machine'of my former patent, taken as an illustration of a machine to which the present invention may be applied, twostitcl'ldrawing knitting-cams a'rwmnployegl, one of which o )eratcs in the round-aml-romni knitting and. in UHEf' h't'S of the reciprocating one-half of the needles are out one at a time as the re knitting in the same dirmlion as the roundsurfece 83 at the end of the ledge 82. The end-round knitting, while thc'other operates cam projection 275 raises the lever 189 and in the reverse strokes of the reciprocating needle-cylinder tom orarily es the said cam knitting Each of those GSUIIS is so conprojection passes tl ie bearing-block 188 of structed as to be thrown out of operative on the lever 189 and thereafter permits the le- 70 gogcment 'with the needlshutts in the 1novever 189 to 'drop back, to normal working ment of the cam-carrier in the opposite direc sition, as shown in full-lines, Fig}, so t at lion to that in which said csm operates to the needle-cylinder may be subse uently depress the needles in the loop-drawing oplowered to Working position in order t at the erction. machine me he in the knittin o oration 7 3' g g E 5 the end of the toe are produced in response to itslever 189 has thus dropped bac .The entire cycle of operations of the knits upon the next stocking after a rib ed cufl" ting instruinentnlitics necessary to knit a has beentransferred to theneedles. Inorder. stocking from the rihbedcufl applied to the that the needle-cylinder may remain irreleneedles at the beginning of the operation to voted position for the transfer opersliion after an ad- 80 a single lull rotation of the cha1ige=cainshaft dit ona'l support" for the needle-cylinder is 30, and the appliances forming the subject of provided; a. suitable and convenient con- ;the present invention are cal ed into operastruetion of which is best shown in Fig. 3.."

tion about st the close of the said cycle and, The said needle-cylinder support com rises-aas herein shown, by a cam pro'ection275 on cam of rojection'23l ,f connected with the "85 the periphery of the cam-dis 171, which webhol er-actuating can ringl2,mounted.; projection acts upon the lever '189, which in theusual relation to' hejweh-holder .bed was employed in the machine of my former 121, rigidly affixed to th to of the needlepatent to raise and lower the needleylinder cylinder. The said web-.hol cream-ring 124 2 slightly during the knitting operation to vary accordingl'y 18 so connected with the hedlego the length of the loops drawn by the needles, cylinder as to have no independent vertical and thereby fashion the tubular portions movement, (see Fig; 5,) -but has a. rota made in the ronnd-sndround knitting-. 1 The movement, about'the web-holder bed 121 on said can: pro'ection' 275 acts upon the lever theneedle-cylinder, being actu'ated in the 189,in an a vsnce movementof the cam said rotar movernent byaprojection 132 on 95 shaft 30, which takes place after round-andthe-uprig $133, $11 ported on the knittinground knitting has been resumed at the comcam carrier 70, ssi Qprojectionnormally en- 'pletion ofthe stocking, said projection 275 gaging'l xetween the two walls 233 234 of at raising the lever .189 to the dotted-linepcsi notc formed at the e'ndof the cam projection and acting upon the projection 7 50-, contion 231 when the needle-cylinder is at normo above any which it occupies when the knitwhic nectcd with the web-gusrd 75, to which the malworking level, ssindicated indottedlines,

needle-cylinder 72 isa-fiixed, the result being Fi 3. V I that the needle-cylinder is elevated by the reason of the connection between the action of the cam projection '275 to a level needle-cylinder andweh-holdercam-ring124, 7

h revcnts independent movement in a 5 i ting 15 going on and to such level relative to vertica direction, it IS obvious that the said the knitting-cam carrier and earns that the web-holder cam-ring will be raised when the hooks of the needles are approximately at needle-cylinder is raised and, conversely, if

the level of t he web-holders 120, as shown in the web-holder cam-ring should lie-raised or Figs. (3 and 7, when the needle-butts are on should be held up or supported after being n the top of the ledge pertaining to the camraised it will ,also support the'needl 'ylincsrrier,- which ledge determines the u per derin the correspondm raised position. The working level of the needles during the nitlifting of the needleT-cyhnder b the action of ting operati0r1tl1z1.t is, in the knitting o the cam projection 275,' as be ore described,

3o oration when the needle-cylinder is at ItS' will, near the beginmng of the said .lifting' 5 normal level. the needles rest with their butts movement, disengage the shoulder 234 of the upon the ring 82 in the intervals between the cam projection at t e lower side of the web downward loop-drawing operations of the ho der cam-ringfrom its actual: projection needles produced by the stitch-cams 85 and 132, which is connected with iie knitting 5 5 when the butts are on the ring 82, during the earn-carrier and has no vertical movement. :20

knii ting operation, the hook ends and hitches This disengagement of the shoulder 234 penof the needles are projected entire] above mits the web-holder'cam-ring 12 1 to. move the top of the need e'eylinder and t e weharound the needle-cylinder inde endently-of' holders 12s and are in the position to take the'kmtting-cam carrier and re ative to the in the viii-n for the knitting operation which is knitting-cam carrier in a direction reverse to I25 re need in the round-cnd-ruund knittin the rotation of the latter .'n the round-cindy the draw-slow n or stitch cam 85, beneat 1 round knit/ting, and the said web-holder camwhich the needle-butts pass when the needles rin is acted u on bye spring 225, connected are descending to draw the loops, afterwhich with an uprig t 270, fixed to the knitting- =5 the iii-cdlebutts are raised: by the inclined i cum carrier 70, said spring tending to turn :30

the knitting-cam ring in the arch-holder the web-holder cam-ring 124 relative to the knitting-cam ring 70 in a direction opposite to the rotation of the latterin the round-andround knitting. The cam projection 23] from the webholder cam-ring 124 has an inclined portion between the shoulder 234, by which said rin is driven in the knitting operation, and a slioulder 235, which by engagement with the projection 132 limits the movement of the web-holdcr cam-ring relative to direction reverse to the rotation of the latter in circular knitting. The said inclined surface engages with the projection 132 during the rising of the needle-cylinder and web-holder can1-ring produced by the cam )rojection 275, as before described, the sait inclined surface permitting the web-huhler-eam-ring 124 to turn with reference to the knitting-cam carrier in )roportion as the needle-cyl prder rises, and y the time that the needle ylinder has at tained its full elevation due to the cam projection 275 the webholderflcam-ring 124 has moved far enough to bring the shoulder 235 in engagement 'ith the projection 132, which prevents further movement in this direction of the web-holder cam-ring relative to the knitting-cam carrier. The portion of the cam projection :23] adjacent to the shoulder 235 now rests upon the to of the projection 132 of the cam-carrier, and thus sustains the cam-ring and the. needle-cylinder in the elevated position after the cam projection .275 that elevated them has passed the block 188 on thclever 1S!) and permitted the latter to drop to normal working position. in order that the needles may not be drawn down into the grooves of the n ecdle-c \'liiuler duringthisoperationol'raisingthenccdlc-cylinder the stitch-cam 85 which operates in the circular knitting is disengaged from the needle-butts automatically, this disengagement being etlected by a cam projection 1240 (see Fig. 2) on the pcriplu-ry oi the wcbholder cam-ring 124, which cam 240 engages with an arm L4l on a rock-shaft 24;, supported on the cam-carrier and provided with auothefarm .243, connected with the knit ting-cam 85 h a suitable link 2-H. By these connections, t hespccilic const ructiou ol'which is olcourse iminatcrinl, the movement of the web-holder cam-ring 12 relative to the knitting-cam carrier Which takes place when the shoulder 234 is disengaged from the projection I32 at the beginning of the rise of the noedlc-cyliudolcauses the linitting-camfifi I to he moved radially outw rdl'ar enough to clear the butts Trot all the iccdles, as shown in Fig. 4, the result being that the needles are free torise with the needle-evliudcras the lattfr iis s in response to the action of the cam uojection .275. After the uccdlc-c \'li|lder ias been raised, as above describcd, it will bc retained in elevated position byathe w bholder cam-ring 124. as long as t lttli, llllill|l.

in the position relative to its actuating projection 132 on the knittin -cain carrier (shown in full lines in Fig. 3) w iether the machine continues running or is Stl))pt;(l, and inasmuch as it must be stopped before the o era tor can apply the transterrer with the ribbed cult to the needles it may be stopped automatically by any suitable mecla1,n1sm-sueh, for example, as that shown in Patent No. 629,503in response to the movementof the change cam-shaft t'hatcarries the projec tion 275 past the block 188 on' the lever 189. The needles by reason of their frictional engagemeut with the grooves of the needle-c *lindcr will be elevated with the needle-cylinder when the latter is raised by the cain JI0- jection 275, and at the completion of the ift ing ofilthe needle-cylinder will be left in approx'huitely the position indicated iu-Figs. 1

'and A further rotation of the cairn-carrier, how ver, amounting to one full rotation after the needle-cylinder has be'en fully raised, will cause the cam 97 (see Fig. 3) to de ress the needles relative to the needle-cylim or until I their butts are brought to the level of t e top of the ring 82, the o eration on the needles being. the same as t tat which takes place when the cam 97 restores the idle needles to working position after widening and narrow ing in the reguiiwl'nitting operation, and servingttobring the needles to a'level in the raised cylinder with their hooked ends a proxinnttelyv at the level of the tops of tl i web-holders 120, so that the points of the quills 370. of the transfer-ring may enter between thenveb-holders in the operation of applying the quills to the needles, as shown in Fig. (5, the result. being that the quills of the transl'er-ring when applied rest on the to of the 1icedle-cylimler properly engaged witli the needles, as shown lll Fig. 7, without especial care on the part of the operator.

in Fig. ti the parts are enlarged andare viewed looking toward the outside surface of the |icedle-cyluuler, while in Fig, 7 the parts are of about usual size and represented as seen looking toward the inside surface'of the needle-cylinder. This leveling oi the needles at a iproxiinately the level o .the web holders by the act ion of the can] 97 may be conveniently performed by turning the main shal't after the machine has been stopped, au tomatically or otherwise, as it is commonly necessary for the operator to turn the calncarrier by turning the main driv ng-shaft by hand to bring the mm-carriefi,iid appurtenances inounted thereon, such as the yank guide, the ransfer-ring, and the same. operation which locates the cam-carrier properly for transfer also will serve to bring the needles to l the level of the web-holders, the same as in I the nnichinc oliny l'ormcrp.-1tent where the needles were lemled with theirhooks at conlsidcrablc height above the, needle-cylinder to convenient. position for applying and said lowering of the needle-cy by the operator turning the main shaft and can1-carrier by hand after the machine is stopped. After the transl'er-ring has been a plied to the needles and located relative l t eroto by engagement with the well-holders, as has been described, itis necesssery to low or i the needle-cylinder in order that the inn-chine may be in proper condition to resume knitting as'soon as the coil has been pulled from the quills of the transfer-ring onto the neel dies, end the lowering is commonly pen formed before the loops have been pulled j from the transfer-quills onto the needles, l

linder thus effects a deeper or fuller overlap or engngement between the quills and loopors. The needlecylinder is thus lowered, and the parts are all restored to proper position to resume -cireular knitting merely by turning the wob-' holder cam-ring124 relative to the knitting- Iflcsm carrier until the notch between the shouh g jders 233 '234 of said dance .with and said noctio such that the cam-surface ofthe said 'sary for I this movement,

3 jection 1320f the cam-carrier. cylinder is ermitted to descend in this moveast scenes the pro ectihn 132 enters the notch or space between-th ,shoulders 233 234.

.In'theinahhinobfmy'former patent, as is common in 9 the, we

.ring comes into coincishoulders are engaged rojection 1320f the cam-carrier.

-holder cam-ring 124 is provided finger-piece 324 to facilitate which is performed by the operator merely turning the web-holder csmring in 01') osition to the force of the spring 225'until-the shoulder 234 drops over the pro- The needlethe.

e'incline of-the ean1-231 passes projection 132, the said needle-cylnver the V its'tnormal working level as ind inochlines of this class having two knitt' for the reciprocating knitting,

i' holder; corn-ring is driven by the am carrier by alost-motion eonb-ho deroam-ringthat moves the webholders radially outward is in the roper position-relatiiib toilihe needles which are knitting, whichever? direction the cam-carrier mny bozturning. In the present machine, however,- there is substantially no lost motion between the km'tt' -oan1 carrier and thovwebsholdereamuring the knitting operation; ,butifthe ii'giholder canning is provided with t vo cam-surfaces 129, one i only ofwhich-is ownin Fig. 2, one pro rly located for eqpration of the web-ho ders the needles in the movement of thecamc 'er in 'one; direction and the other for such cofiperqtion in the movement of the cam-comer in the opposite direction in re: ciprocating knitting. Oneor the other of earns cons'e uently. produces a movement of the web holders which may be regarded aa.an idle movement, as it is unnecesthe proper cooperation of the web holders with the needles; but this idle movechine other ithsn the lame l ment of the well-holders does no harm, and this construction obviates the necessity of the lost motion between the knitting-eam carrier and the web-holding com-ring, and thus renders the movement of the webholder cum-rim r relative to the knitting-cam sveilnhle l or ell icting the support-0f the neodle-cylinder and the lowering of the needlecylinder to operative position, as has been hercinbefore described. The slight vertical movement given to the needle-cylinder dur ing the knitting operation for the purpose of controlling the length of the stitches is ir'isuflicient to disengage the projection 132 from the shoulder 234, and the notch between the shoulders 233 234 is deep enough to acc'om modate all of the vertical movementofthe needle-cylinder required for controllingthe len thof stitch.

Cihe construction the web-holder cam-ring is employed to support the needle-cylind also, to carry' throws the stitch-cam out f the needle-cylinder is eleva V V and effective for the 11 e se Intended, but the imention is not fluted to this specific construction, us it is obviousthet various constructions might be employed as an equivalent for the construction herein shown as anelement of the means for insuringthe elevation of the no for operation. 7

It is necessary before the machine is supplied with e cuff to' be in knittin fa new stockin that the finishef stocking should be run off iron: the needles. Thislmayfhe done in any suitebleor usual we before the,ap-. plianccs for raising the nee e-cylinder formmg the subject .of the present "invention come into action. For example, the ma ht be automatically sto pod-after operation when the comp etion of the previouslying and at a point one or more rotations of the main drivm which turns the to cause the pro' dle cylinder. hen break the yarn in the usu the machine either by power orby tn the main she-ft by hand, and in the next fol change cam-shaft 30, so. as ection 275 to raise the neethe operator might lowing rotsti niof the' knittmig-cem carrier,

the previou y knit work wou d'berun off the needles-Knits:- which in the further rotation of the main shaft the change cam-shaft 30 would be advanced and causethe projection 275 to raise the needle-cylinder, as h reinbefore described, all of the op quired for running of! the Workf-remf gtho needle-cylinder and leveling hemed-lies in the raised cylinder preperatorytogteiieiving the transfer-ring being performed automatically thait is, bythe mechanism of' the ma.- chine in response to the rotation of the main herein shown, wherein.

or when elevated and and operate the coin vvhic'h' d is cgnvenient t stock shaft in advance of the one al manner and start edle-cylinder for'the trans- T my one king'ofi the zirri -re Letters Patent, Serial No.

driving-shaft. As herein shown, however, the machine is provided with ap liances for I running off the work when compibted which form the subject of another application for 267,819, filed June 30, 1905, said appliances comprising a trip-cam 290, mounted on an arm 289, connected with the lever 189, said trip-cam 290 being caused to move radially toward the knittingcain carrier in response to a depres- 2o far enough to carry W ch in goingthrough their next guently before t' 1e knitting-cam 85 is with-. 3

moved inward enga ing the end 236 of a latch 232, mounted which latch holds the ring l34 in workim on the dam-carrier, needle-latch guardposition while the knitting lS- oing on. iihe said latch-guard ring is acte upon by a spring 237, which lifts the latch-guard ring when released by the l trippingof the latch 232 by the trip-cam 290 the yarn the'yarmguide connected withthe latchguard ring 134 out of reach of the needles knitting movement in the subsequent rotation of the cam-carrier, cast off the loops of the last,

' sion 271 in the cam-disk 171, and when thus l course of the finished stocking. This takes place in a revolution of the cam carrier beore the needle-c linder is raised, and conserawn from position toact on the needles.

It has been deemed unnecessary to show in the present case the complete mechanism for actuating the cam-carrier and for advancing the change cam-shaft 30 and for stopping the machine at the end of a'cycle of movements determined by the rotation of said cam-shaft, as such mechanism is well known in machines of this character and constitutes no part of the resent invention and 'a concrete example 0 such mechanism is 1 fully shown in my prior patent, No. 629,503, to which reference may be had for a knowledge of such mechanism, if desired.

' The invention herein described is applicable to various machines in which plain knitwork is knit to ribbed work produced in another machine and transferred to the needles of the machine in which the plain knitting is performed. a

I claim 1. In a knitting-ma chine, the combination of'a main driving-shaft, needle-cylinder, and knitting-cams with mechanism actuated from the said main shaft for raising th needie-cylinder relative to the knitting-cams above working position; and a support for retainin the needle-cylinder in elevated position after the cylin er-raising means have ceased to act, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A knitting-machine comprising a main driving-shaft, needle-cylinder and knittingwithdrawing the passing through cams, combined with means actuated b said driving-shaft for raisin the needle-cy inder above its working leveE and means for disengaging the needle-depressin switchcam from the needle-butts during t e rise of the needle-cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination of the needle-cylinder and knitting-cam carrier of a knitting-Inachine with means for raising the needle-c lindcr above working position means i 01- stitch-cam from enga ement with the needle-butts; and means in supporting the said cylinderin raised i- ,tion after the cylinder-raising means ave ceased to act.

4. A knitting-machine comprisin a main drivingshaft, a needle cylinder, 'ttin cams, and a change cam-shaft for contrOH changes in the knitting o eration act'uai e fi from said main shaft, com ined with means controlled by said change camshaft for mising the needle-cylinder above 'its wor level, and means for supporting the needlecylinder in lifted raising means have ceased to act; substantially as and .for the urpose described.

. 5. A knittin -maciijne comprising a needle-cylinder an knittin -cam carrier; a webholder bed and web-holder cam-ring operated by the knitting-cam carrier; and a 61m 0 cam-shaft governing the changesin the hutting operation, combined with mechanism actuated by the change cam-shaft for raising the needle-cylinder relative to the cam carrier above connected with the web-holder cam ring for supporting the raised needle cylinder, and for withdrawing the stitch-cam from crative en agement with the needle-butts, substantiafiy as and for the purpose described.

6. A knitting-machine compris'm dle-cylinder, a web-holder bed and a webholder cam-ring mounted, pen said needlecylinder, and means for isin the needlecylinder above its workin "leve and a knitting-cam carrier co bine with means pertaining to said knittingcam carrier for rotating said -web-holder cam-ring in unison therewith during the knitting operation and adapted to permit independent rota movement of said web-holder cam-ring w en the needle-cylinder is raised above normal workin position. i c

in testimony whereof I have name to this specification in the two subscribing witnesses.

JOSHUA D. HEMPH-ILL.

Witnesses:

ALEX D. SALINGER, J. JEROME HAHN.

signed my presence position after the cylinderg a. rice- 

